Mother Nature can create some amazing ‘acts of God’.  This action movie phrase is unlikely to be referred to within your insurance policy which is typically set out in terms of what is or what is not covered.

Insurance Claims Expert, Paul Murchan, Director, Gullion Ltd said, “Whilst many of these disasters will be covered within your policy, there will be exclusions applied so that every eventuality is not covered.

“Variations in the North Atlantic Oscillation drive our storm activity however this can fluctuate widely from year to year therefore predicting the frequency of storms is exceptionally difficult although broadly speaking, we are experiencing more and at a higher intensity.” 

PERILS AG, a Zurich-based provider of estimates for insurance and reinsurance market property losses suggest that in the winter of 2019-2020, storms Ciara, Dennis and Jorge cost the insurance and reinsurance industries around £775 million.

Compare the Market research shows that in 2020 damage from storms (42%) and flooding (18%) were two of the most common reasons for weather-related property damage insurance claims (UK), with the average storm-related claim valued at £3,500.

Paul added, “Historically it has been difficult or incredibly expensive to get home insurance in high risk flood areas however it is crucial as it typically will cover the cost of drying out your property, removing debris to repair your home and it should cover damage to permanent fixtures and fittings such as kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms etc.”

Compare the Market found that 16% of people who bought home insurance in 2021 lived within 400ft of water. On average, homeowners in these areas paid £28 more for their home insurance. 2/3 of respondents revealed that they were worried that climate change would increase the risk of flooding in their homes however despite the risk, 23% of respondents did not check if they lived in a high flood risk area.

You can check the flood risk in your area here

https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/topics/rivers-and-flooding

In the unfortunate event where you need to make a claim, contact Gullion Ltd Loss Assessors and Surveyors on 028 3082 8838. Regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority we will negotiate the best settlement on your behalf to ensure you achieve your full entitlement, under the terms and conditions of your policy.  To reduce stress and streamline your claim, restoration works is an optional extra service which we also provide.

Gullion Ltd – you’re number one choice for insurance claims.  For more, Gullion Ltd can also be found on Facebook, Google, YouTube and Twitter.